Little Falls transcript., 1887-05-20

! Nc@NO VI AoI AutCAIOCuVOES duu l1uSueu
gleefully at the chorus ofexclamations
that came from the wondering girls.
"No! Really? Howdo you know?"
"How do ] know? / should think
ought to know; I heard it!''
"Heard it? Ooh! You heard it!'
Ben was composedly selecting a. large
piece OF preserved ginger from the jar,
which combined with sponge cake with
evident satisfaction, and, as her mouth
was full, she merely NODDED impressive
ly.
The girls were in huttrr of impa-
tient curiosity, but Florence Healey
said, in low voice:
"Ben, if you haYe by accident heard
what was not intended for your ears,
Is 1t honorable to tell it to any one?"
"That is just what l am thinking
about" responded the tricksy sprite,
grayely. There was howl OF disap-
pointment from ten of the "Mystic
Twelve" 'It would not be quite
extraordinarily"
Hope began to glimmer again.
"But, you see, we are bound by our
oath to repose perfect confidence in
each other, are we not?"
She looked inquiringly around.
"Of course we are. Solemnly bound!
Indeed we are! Yes!" came an eager
rush OF voices.
"Still," unused the young lady,
choosing a chocolate cream with scru-
pulous care, "that may hold only up
on matters pertaining strictly to our
Selves
"Ben, you are real mean, if you
don't tell US, after all this!" protested
Kitty Glazier.
Florence Healey said nothing, per-
haps because she saw thaA.Ben fully
intended to relate her adventure after
sufficiently arousing the curiosity of
her friends, and possibly because she
herself had an interest in the disclos-
ure which overpowered her ideas OF
honorable reticence upon another's
secret.
"But," said Ben, as a. rebuttal,
"this is something which may
seriously affect any one Of
us"-the excitement grew intense
$50 shall wave my scruples and
tell it-but under perfect secrecy,
mind! Well," began Ben, hoist
ing herself with some difficulty upon
the curved top OF large trunk, 81 you
see, when we came up from prayers, l
happened to think that little Sneaky
Palmer would 90 into the fourth reci-
tatlon room to get her music. So, as
had for some time been intending to
punish her for going back on me TO
Professor Charles, in the philosophy
class, one day, I just slid in there in
the dark and crept in behind 'Skelly,'
who hangs so sweetly by her skull in
the small cupboard"
"Oh, Ben! How could you? I
could not do it if it was to save my
life" shuddered Fan Kendall
'"That's just it," said Ben, bending
a calm eye upon her; "neither could
Sneaky Palmer. She was afraid of
her shadow. So 1 meant to rattle
the bones Of the late French lady,
whose usefulness continues after death
as an adjunct to the physiology class,
just click her toes together, you know,
and moan. How Sneaky Palmer
would have run" Ben beamed in en-
joyment of what might have been. but
suddenly became grave again. "In-
stead of which, when Iheard some one
come in, and was just about to give a.
dismal groan, / fortunately peeped
through the curtains and saw Miss
Brown. She came and sat down, rest
ing her face on her hands. Then l
thought l would come out and con-
TESS my base intention, for Lou never
scolds, you know"
'Dear Lou! She is more like sister
than teacher"
"Lou is only twenty-five" murmur-
ed Florence Healey, from her place in
the shadow of the bureau.
"Well, as said, was Just coming
out, when in walked Professor Charles.
And girls, he did look too handsome
for anything! He never looked so ele-
CANT in this world as he did to night.
His face was flushed, and-weli, here
was q pretty how-de-do! / could not
know that their meeting was anything
but an accident, and while hesitated
to place myself in such an awful light
as TO crawl out and explain things, he
began to speak. ~ = u
I "I understood you, Lou, he said,
standing before her, "that you wished
to see me here
Eyes, she answered, in q low voice,
and Isaw, as she looked up at him.
her lips trem bled.x 4 wished to talk
with you, Charles, before we go away
for the vacation, about our relations
to each other ! ~. - VI,
There / was. in q most painful
position, in that narrow box, peeping
through the ribs Of the French lady,
not daring to breath for fear Of rat.
tling her bones and being discovered;
butI wasn't q bit tired then. Pro-
lessor Charles rested his hand ON the
back OF q bench and looked down at
her quietly. II S5s Il ,.szs
well, Lou. he said, what
have you to say to me about
our relations to s each other
have felt for some time chat YOU
did not love me-that our engage
lment was becoming irksome to YOU:
but deemed it best for the sake OF
your example TO these girls over whom
you have 50 deep an influence, that
Iyou should not break it until I had
left Bradford. 51... s.s5 s1s
Charles, she cried, putting out
fhsr3 3hand, please sit down by me. /
Hike you 30, as--as 8 friend, l. Have
you read 80 much Of my mind1 Be
love me, I have tried to feel as Z
Ought.
s'. How ought you TO feel, Lou! raid
the professor with = smile just curl
ling Bis lips. n.
81 know ! ought TO love you bat
ter thAn all tho world beside; that I
ON ona e watch md wait and long for